Tag: hiking

wilderness: Good or Bad

July 18, 2025

Good afternoon,

I have been asked to speak at St. Jacobs Mennonite Church for five minutes on August  24. It is on “wilderness” as part of their summer worship series. It is before the sermon. I can speak on anything about wilderness, but the coordinator said I may want to speak on our Camino experience. We went in September 2024, and it was a good trip. I would not describe it as a wilderness moment. I had wanted to go to the Camino Trail before I began at Poole in 2019,  but Covid got in the way. I would have been deciding whether to be full-time at Poole. It would have been more intense.

I have had good and bad wilderness experiences. Jesus goes into the wilderness to be with God in prayer. His experience with the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane was tense and uncomfortable. I have done an 8 day silent retreat in Guelph, and some were peaceful, while others were very challenging to my soul/spirit. The year when both my parents died, and my best friend was difficult. Kendra Ellis’ death is another case of dark wilderness. Working with refugees in Thailand, listening to their pain and trauma was bad wilderness for us. And then there is Gaza.


Mary Oliver writes great poems about walking into the wilderness/bush/forest. It is a place of hope and love. They are celebrations of creation and diversity. Theyare calming, and everything is in good order. I could speak about that on that Sunday in August. I walk in the mornings, going along a trail or park. The Lions Trail in Floradale has nurtured my spirit for over thirty years. What to say ?

Below is a picture from on the Bruce Trail. The lookouts are amazing, and yet also scary. No railings, just straight down. What would you say ? You are part of my community of faith these days. I need your wisdom and guidance.

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Please pray for me. It will also be my first time back for Sunday morning worship. I gave myself a sabbatical until September. Scary to go back.
Gaza, in prayer. Amen

Fred

black and white shadows

crush humanity’s freedom

am I complicit ?

Walk at Your Own Pace. In Life

June 9, 2025

Good evening,

During our Camino experience last September, our guide told us to not walk together as a group. We were a group of thirteen of various ages and physical abilities. He told us this so that the fast walkers would not get frustrated by having to walk slower for the group. For the slower walkers, they would not feel bad if they felt they were slowing down the faster walkers. So walk at your own speed.

I retold this story to my spiritual director today. I shared with her that some days of retirement were good and others were challenging as I lived into this new life. It is not surprising that this would be my experience . Her advice to me was the same as our Spanish Camino guide, go at your own pace. Do not rush it. On our Camino walk we were encouraged to stop for coffee and lunch. There were many churches and chapels where we could rest.  It was not a race, but an experience. It was a good piece of advice for my journey on the Camino, and maybe for life in general 

“ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. ”   2 Timothy 4:7-8


The above Scripture, for me, is still in the present tense. Hopefully I am still fighting ( in a pacifist sense ) with life, and running a good race and am keeping my faith strong. Some days in the last few months have been difficult while others have been relaxing and  life giving. But that could be said about 40 years of my working  life as a pastor.  
Peace and strength for the journey of life and faith. Amen.

Gaza.

Fred

black and white shadows

crush humanity’s freedom

am I complicit ? MPL 2025